Sold it two years later in a rush (after 30k improvements) for 340k after one week on the market!

Your LTV will be close to 100% (based on purchase price) if you do it any other way and you won't have any way to claim your sweat equity/improvements against the LTV.  

MFRE communities have reputations, and if this property has a bad reputation, it will take a lot of time and money to change it, even if the surrounding area is improving.  

I also realize that I'm probably losing out on some good prospects by making them jump through so many hoops, but this has made my life way easier.I'm curious if anyone has done something similar or has any tips to improve this?

I suggest you try to change your deal to a Sub-2 and sell it, your financing any part of this with an owner occupant kicks in a look at the Dodd-Frank stuff.You can have issues with an L/O or more with a S/L/O neither a lease nor an option allows you to make improvements, make repairs, act in legal matters in getting permits or tax matters or in answering citations.

Equity established isn't taxable until it's sold and that can be deferred.Buying no or low equity deals means sharpening your pencil, looking for value elsewhere and allowing time to improve your position.

Go to the neighbors, if it is a gated community, ask the security guard, and then there is also going to the home improvement stores and asking around or getting there first thing when the contractors and trades people start their day.

How can you revitalize the inner city and improve older housing stock in the suburbs without volume rehabbing?

We can do a remote session with TeamViewer or something like that, so you can kind of point me in the right direction.Once I understand it better, I think I can expand and improve on what we started, but I need someone to help me get a self inflicted kick in the pants.

Bottom line is to have a plan to improve the property management and force appreciation.